Since the issue of muzzle control was mentioned a bit here, I just wanted to share our latest experience with guns that has fortunately showed my son & reminded us all (as if we needed it!) how terribly important it is.
Hunting season's coming up this weekend, so me, my husband, our son & a friend of ours went to shoot & sight the guns in. We're exceptionally careful & watchful when our son shoots, DH is always on his shoulder, etc. Well since none of the boys have watched me shoot, I got to plink with the .22 rifle when our son was finished. WELLLLLL... First 2 shots were fine, but loading the 3rd shot, pulled the button back (marlin 100), it latched, & before I could sight in, it shot on its own!
That was the end of that & I find it slightly amusing that this occurred with ME holding the dang thing- this gun has been well used, well cared for, it's on its 3rd generation of hands, son's been shooting it for 3yrs now & we've had it 8yrs as a very reliable gun & it does it to ME, now!
Anyway, turned out to be wear on the trigger assembly, but still... I still can't help myself from imagining what could have happened if any mistakes occurred in the handling of this gun.
Not to mention another friend's experience of a 4th generation shotgun that had been passed down, thought to be unloaded for all these years (big mistake that it was never verified). Gun hung on the wall for YEARS & one day fell down & literally shot his knee out.
I still hear my dad's guidance whenever I see a gun & the three biggest points he ground into my head were always, 1) verify whether ANY gun is unloaded/loaded, 2) ALWAYS treat guns as if they're loaded & primed to shoot, barrel down & away from anything you don't intend on shooting, 3) Always be aware of your backdrop.
Thankfully, the experience with the .22 has branded gun safety into our son's head, as it did scare him a bit- & me too! Always respect the guns!! As much as I love them, I have a very very healthy respect for them.
Safe shooting, everyone!